Testing apparatus.



Patented 0t.22,1918.

LQSQAQ nm A ,FRANK B. GILBERT, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TESTING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK B. GILBERT, a citizen of the United States; and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Testing Appay the upper portlon of the gas reservolr and ratus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accom-- panying drawings. i

My invention relates to testing apparatus, and has particularly to do with apparatus for testing furnace flue gases for the purpose of ascertaininggthe percentage of some constituent element thereof, such as carbon dioxid. Such tests are frequently necessary for the purpose of determining whether or not the best results are being obtained from the combustion of the fuel, and it is important that some simple and. efficacious means be provided by which the person in charge of the boiler, who is usually unskilled and incompetent to handle delicate testing apparatus, may-easily and accurately make a test of the flue gases to determine the percentage of CO2. To provide such an apparatus is the object of my invention. I. accomplish my object as illustrated in the drawings and as hereinafter described. That which I believe to be'new is set forth in thevclaims.

In the accompanying draWings,.-

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating my improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus'taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. l, the reservoir and the gas compartment being in section; .i

Fig. 3 is a detail, being a partial vertical section of the gas inlet; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the delector by which the gas is distributed throughout the gas compartment in passing thereinto from the inlet.

Myimproved apparatus comprises a receptacle 5 having a hollow base 6 over which and communicatlng therewith is a gas com-l partment 7.v The base is preferably of somewhat greater diameter than the gas compartment serving to make the apparatus stable when resting on a table or othersupport and serving to provide a greater volume of absorbent fluidI as hereinafter described 1n proportion to the volume of gas being tested, whereby the effective. strength of said p Speeication of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 14, 1916. Serial No. 114,851.7.

absorbent Huid is maintained for a greater period,-the base tapering .toward the bottom of the gas compartment, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 8 indicates a plug, which closes a drain opening in the base. 9 indicates a vacuum gage, which connects with in the construction shown is calibrated to read in percentage of CO2, although, obviously, any suitable form of gage may be employed. The advantage of using the gage shown, however, is that it requires no expert knowledge to read it, as the pointer immediately shows the percentage of the gas under test, so that calculation is unnecessary. 10 indicates the gas inlet connection, having a valve l1 operated by a handle 12. The inlet 10 is screwed into the upper end of the gas -chamber and isv provided with a deflector at its inner end for thec purpose of preventing the incoming gas jet from puncturing the layer of oil extending across the lower end of the compartment 7 as hereinafter described. This deiiector comprises a screw-threaded shank 13 having a head 14 at its lower end, said shank being adapted to be screwed into the lower end of the inlet connection, as shown in Fig. 3. The inlet connection 10 is'screw-threaded at the outer tion of the gas chamber 7 and having a handle 21 for opening and closing it. It will be apparent that by opening the outlet cock 20 and operating the bulb 17 thev gases to be'tes'ted can be forced into and through the gas chamber 7. In practice, this isdone for a short interval, in order to expel from the gas chamber any foreign gases and 'insure its being filled with the gases to be tested. Byl then closing the outlet cock 2O andthe inlet valve 11, the gas chamber will remain lled with the gases to be tested. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the reservoir 6 contains a` quantity of liquid preferably admitted 'through the Ycock 20,

Which liquid, when a test for C()2 isfbeing absorbed gases may made, consists preferably of a strong solution of caustic potash, which has the quality of immediately absorbing the C()2 gas.l 22 indicates a thin layer of oil, such as a light gravity mineral oil, which is placed in the reservoir with the caustic solution, and because of its lighter specific gravity immediately rises and vfloats on top thereof. This oil layer is not affected by the CO2 and consequently acts as a protecting blanket to sepa- Y rate'the gas in the gas chamber from the caustic solution and prevent the absorption of the CO2 as long as the film of oil remains unbroken. -In practice, the apparatus is placed on a suitable stand or support and the gas chamber filled with the gas to be tested in the manner above described. As soon as the gas chamber has been filled and the inlet andJoutlet passages are closed, the instrument is picked up and shaken sufficiently to break up thelilm of oil, to permit the gases in the gas chamber to have access to the caustic solution, whereupon the CO2 is immediately absorbed, creating a partial vacuum vin the gas chamber, which `is immediately indicated by the gage.

When the test has been completed, the unbe expelled by opening the inlet and outlet and operating the bulb 17.

While this apparatus is designed primarily for use in testing for CO2, it may also be used for testing for other gases, using a suitable absorbent of the gas to be tested and a( suitable protecting ilm. I In the apparatus shown and described the caustic solution may be used repeatedly without changing it except at long intervals. Any caustic i solution adhering to the walls of the gas chamber does not vitiate the test to be made, as it will be neutralized before beginning the next test by pumping the gas through the gas chamber before closing the outlet cock.

So far as 1 am aware, 1 am the first in the art to provide a testing apparatus vof the character described, in which a liquid absorbent is protected by a liquid lm capable of being disrupted to permit the gases have access tothe absorbent. 1 also believe myself to be the rst in the art to provide a testing apparatus comprising a chamber or other containing means of fixed cubical capacity adapted to hold a quantity of gaseous mixture to be tested and a gas absorbent, in combination with means for positively indicating the change in pressure of the gas in the containing means incidentto the absorption f one constituent from the mixture. In the preferred form of my device, as shown in the drawings, the determination or measurement of the pressure in the containing means before the absorption of the desired constituent from the mixture I consists merely in bringin thevmixture to atmospheric pressure, but 1t will be under stood that other means for measuring the mally protecting and the gas to be tested, and means normally protecting the gas from Contact with the absorbent and adapted to be rendered temporarily inoperative by agitation.

3. A testing apparatus, comprisin a chamber adapted'to contain a gas absor ent and the gas to be tested, and a liquid normally protecting the absorbent and adapted to be temporarily rendered inoperative by agitation.

4. A testing apparatus, comprising a gas chamber, av reservoir in communication therewith Aadapted to contain an absorbent andthe gas to be tested, and a liquid northe gas from contact with the absorbent and adapted to be rendered temporarily inoperative by agitation.

5. A testing apparatus, comprisin a absorption of the dein communication the gas -from contact with v chamber adapted to contain a gas absor ent.

sorbent and adapted to be temporarily rendered inoperative b'y agitation, a valved 1nlet at the upper portion of said chamber and a valved outlet at the lower portion of' said chamber above the absorbent therein whereby gas may be caused to Howthrough said chamber and the chamber may be filled with the gas to be tested.

Q 7 A testing apparatus, comprising a chamber, a gas absorbin liquid therein, means whereby said cham er may befilled with the gas to be tested, and means for normally the absorbing liquid and adapted to be'temvporarily rendered inoperative by agitation.

8. A testing apparatus, comprising a chamber, a gas absorbing liquid therein, means whereby said chamber may be filled with the gas to be'tested, and a protecting liquid adapted to float on the surface of said absorbing liquid for normallyy keeping the v gas from contact with theabsorbing liquid.

keeping-the gas from contact with 9. A testing apparatus, comprising a chamber, a gas absorbing liquid in thelower portion thereof, a protecting liquid adapted to Hoat on 'the surface of said absorbing liquid,- a as inlet at the upper portion of said cham er, a gas outlet communicating with the lower portion of said chamber.

above the lprotecting liquid therein, and means whereby said inlet and' outlet may be closed.

10. A testing apparatus, comprising a chamber, a gas absorbing liquid in the lower portion thereof, a protecting liquid adapted to float on the surface of said absorbing liquid, a gas inlet at the upper portion of said chamber,A a gas outlet communicating with the lower portion of said chamber above the protecting liquid therein, meanswhereby7 said inlet and outlet may beclosed,

and a defiectorassociated with said inlet.

11. A testing apparatus, comprising a chamber, a gas absorbing liquid in the lower portion thereof, a protecting liquid adapted to ioat on the surface of said absorbing liquid, al gas inlet at the upper portion of said chamber, a gas outlet communicating with the lower portion of said chamber above the protecting liquid therein, means whereby 'said inlet and outlet may be closed and means for connecting the inlet with a source of gas supply.

-into said chambe 12. A testing apparatus, comprising a chamber, a gas absorbing liquid in the lower portion thereof, a protecting liquid adapted 'to float on the surface of said absorbing liquid, a gas inlet at the upper portion of said chamber, a gas outlet communicating with the lower portion of said chamber above the protectingr-liquid therein, means. .whereby said inlet and outlet may be closed,

' desired out of contact with said gas absorbent, and adapted to be rendered inoperative by agitation, and a vacuum pressure gage for measuring the pressure of the gaseous mixture in said containingmens after it is brought into contact withsaid gas absorbent, said gage being calibrated `to indicate the percentage of ga's absorbed based upon the reduction of pressure in said containing i means lfrom a predetermined arbitrarily-se lected atmospheric pressure taken as normal.

FRANK B. GILBERT. 

